DEHRADUN: A devastating bus accident in Uttarakhand’s Almora district has claimed the lives of 36 people, leaving 27 others critically injured. The tragedy occurred near Koopi village in the Marchula area of Sult tehsil.According to a senior official, the private bus, traveling from Likhwal to Ramnagar, was grossly overcrowded with 63 passengers, far exceeding its capacity. The accident has left 25 others injured, with 6 currently admitted at AIIMS Rishikesh, where 5 are in critical condition.Commandant Arpan Yaduvanshi of the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) told , “We received information about the accident at 8:45 am on Monday. Immediately, four SDRF teams were dispatched to the site. Our personnel rescued the deceased and injured by breaking the glass windows and cutting through iron sheets of the ill-fated bus.”Almora District Disaster Management Officer Vineet Pal told this daily, “Upon receiving news of the bus accident, rescue agencies sprang into action, swiftly alerting key teams. The State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), police, revenue department, and sub-divisional officer are currently at the scene, working together to provide aid and support to those affected.”District Magistrate Alok Kumar Pandey revealed, “The 43-seater bus, operated by Garhwal Motor Owners Association, departed Pauri in Garhwal region on Sunday evening, headed for Ramnagar in Kumaon, approximately 250 kilometres away.”Regarding the Monday morning accident, Pandey stated, “The bus was just 35 kilometers from its destination, Ramnagar, when it plummeted 200 meters into a gorge in Almora’s Marchula area.”Deputy SP Pauri, Anuj Kumar stated, “Rescue operations are ongoing at the accident site, and the injured have been referred to Ramnagar Hospital for further treatment.”
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